Index file mounting



P 1931. LEQROI E. HUTCHINGS 1,823,565

INDEX FILE MOUNTING Filed Sept.

Patented Sept. 15, 1931 UNrrEo STATES PATENT orrlcs I LE ROI E.HUTCHINGS, OF BUFFALO, EW Y'OR K, A SSIGNOR- TO REMINGTON RAND INCL,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y. 4

INDEX FILE MOUNTING 3 Application filed September 1, 1927. Serial No.216,897.

This invention relates to a mounting for filing devices and moreparticularly to a mounting for visible index files in which the filesare relatively movable so that they 5 may be positioned for convenientaccess to the indexes or into a position when not in use in which theywill occupy a minimum amount of space.

An object of the invention resides in providing a mounting structure fora plurality of index files whichrmay be readily moved about an officeand support the files for relative movement to present the same for readaccess to the indexes therein.

A further object of the invention resides in providing a file mountingin which filesupporting members ortrays are movably supported in ahorizontal position in a suitable stand so that the files carriedthereby may be manually moved into a convenient position to provideaccess to the indexes of all of the files while they may also be movedinto such relation when not in use that they will be housed within thesupporting frame 5 and occupy a minimum of floor space.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a mounting forfiling devices in which a stand provided with suitable end membersmounts a plurality of pairs of arms I pivotally mounted to theendmembers of the stand and carrying file supporting members and theirfree ends for relative movement in horizontal relation so that aplurality of files may be stored in aminimum of floor space and yet bereadily movable into accessible positions to permit the use of the filesfor indexing or filing purposes.

This invention further comprehends numerous improvements in the detailsof construction of the parts to secure efl'icient operation thereof andsimplicity in assembly which are all more particularly pointed out inthe following detailed description and in the claims directed to a.preferred form of the invention,it being understood however, thatvarious changes in the size, shape or relation of these elements may bemade without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention asherein set forth.

In the drawings forming part of this application,

Fig. 1 isa side elevation of theimproved index file mounting device;

1 Fig. 2 is an'end elevation of a file mounting showing the files inposition;

Fig.3 is a diagrammatic illustration showing the arms and filesupporting members position; and

Fig; 5 is a detailed sectional view taken .on lines 5-5 of Fig. 4.

A stand is indicated generally at 1 which includes a pair of end memberseach comprising an inverted U-shaped rod or pipe members'2 having thelowerfree ends joined by bar members 3. The'free ends of these U- shapedmembers receive and 'mountsuitable.

casters or the like indicated at 4 so that the stand may be readilymoved over a floor or other supporting surface. a The end members arerigidly secured in spaced parallel relation through the medium of barmembers 52 secured to the lower ends of the inverted- U- shaped members2 as clearly shown in Figsl and 2. In the upper portion of these U-shaped members 2 are secured suitable bearing brackets 6 having acrossbar 7 extending between the opposite sides of the members in whichisformed a guide bearing or arcuate slot- 4 ted portion 8. From thecentral portion of this a'rcuate portionS an extension 9 projects up-Wardly and is detachably secured to the upper central portionof themember'2 as-clear- 1y shown in'Fig. 2. The central portion of the crossbar 7 of each bearing bracket and the end portions thereof are providedwith I bearings indicated at 10 for r'otatably mount I cross bar 7 whilethe pair of supporting arms 12 are rotatably supported in the centralhearings in the cross bar 7 The free ends of these pairs of arms 11 and12, which are all of equal length, are provided with suitable journalsin which are rotatably mounted the stub shafts 13 carried by the lateralprojections 1 1 on the bottom of the file supporting members or trays15.

The central pair of supporting arms 12 are rigidly'connected by the barmember 16 above the pivotal mounting 10 on the cross bar, the ends ofthis rod 16 extending through and beyond the arms as shown in Fig. 4 andhaving guide rollers 17 suitably mounted on the re-- duced extensionsfor rotation thereon and movement in the arcuate slots in the arcuateportion 8 of the bearing brackets. This guide construction also limitsthe rotation of the arms 11 and 12 on their respective bearings in thebearing brackets. The outer face of each of the arms 12 is formed with aprojection 18 slotted as indicated at 19, while the bearing bracketsmount a plurality of latch members 20' adapted to engage in the slot 19as shown in Figs. 4 and 5' to retain the supporting arms in desiredpositions of adjustment. The latch member 20 is slidably projected froma recess 21 in the bearing bracket by a suitable coil spring 22 and islimited in its movement by the knob 23 mounted on the reduced extension24 extending through the bearing bracket and carrying the knob 23 on theouter end thereof as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1. The knob 23 may bemanually engaged for releasing' the latch member 20 from the slot 19 bypulling the same outwardly so that the latch member compresses a springin the recess 21.

The ends of the arms 11 and 12 as shown in Fig. 2 at opposite sides ofthe central pivot are of unequal length, the lower ends being longer sothat one supporting member and its carried file will always gravitate tothe bottom portion of the stand. A sufficient number of latch membersare employed to retain the arms in the various positions necessary forconvenient use of the files as illustrated in Fig. 3.

Index files are indicated at 25 which may be of any suitable type wellknown and now used in the art, which are mounted on the file-supportingmembers 15 recessed in the upper face as indicated at 26 in dotted linesto receive the lower edge portion of the files 25 so that they will beheld in place on the supporting members.

With a construction of this character it will be seen by reference toFig. 3 that the files carried by the supporting members 15 may be movedinto a plurality of relative po- 'sitions in which the file supportingmembers are always maintained in horizontal relation. In Fig. 3 thefiles areillustrated in one position in full lines so as to provideaccess to each of the files on the supporting members for filingpurposes. Should it be desired to reverse the position of these fileswith respect to one another, the same may be manually moved so as torotate the supporting arms in the direction of the arrow 26 in Fig. 3until these files assume the dotted line position indicated at 27. Thenthe files are not in use it is usually desired to store the same in sucha manner that they will require the least amount of floor space and forwhich purpose the files will move by gravity into the position shown bythe dot and dash linesat 28 in Fig. 3 through the rotation of thesupporting arms so that all of the files are within the plane of thestand 1.

This invention therefore provides a mounting for index files in whichthe supporting members are freely movable to position the files in anydesired relation for storage or access to the contents in any of whichpositions the latching means will retain the files through cooperationwith the supporting arms, while at the same time an even and freemovement of the supporting members will be obtained through theoperation of the guiding means carried by the arms 12.

What is claimed is:

1. An index file mounting, comprising a stand having rigidly connectedend members, file-supporting members, a plurality of pairs of supportingarms pivotally mounted on 7' said end members and having correspondingends connected to the same supporting member for mounting saidsupporting members movable relative to the stand in substantiallyhorizontal relation, and a guide rod connect- 11 ing one pair of armsand having the free ends guided in slots formed in said end members. 7

2. An index file mounting, comprising a stand having end members andmeans con- 1 ne'cting said end members at their lower ends,- a guidebearing on each of said end members, file supporting members, aplurality of pairs of arms pivotally mounted intermediate their ends onsaid end menu-1 bers and having corresponding ends pivoted to the samefile supporting member for movably supporting said supporting members inparallel relation, means connecting one pair of said arms at a spaceddistance from i said pivotal mounting on said end members, said meansengaging with said guide bearings of said end members to permit supported movement of said connected pair of arms. 1

3. An index file mounting comprising a stand having spaced end members,a bearing bracket on each of said end members, said bearing brackethaving a guide bearing and spaced latch members, a plurality of pairs of'member being pivotally connected to all of the arms at each extremitythereof, means connecting one pair of said arms at a spaced distancefrom said pivotal mounting on said end members, said means engaging withsaid guide bearings of said end members for limited movement therein,latch engaging means on said connected pair of arms adapted toselectively engage either of said latches on said bearing bracket Whensaid means reaches its limit of movement in said guide bearings.

4. An index file mounting comprising a stand having a pair of endmembers including inverted U-shaped sections and means securing the freeends of said sections; a bearing bracket Within each section, saidbearing bracket having an extension secured to the top central portionof said section, a pair of oppositely extending arms each con necting toopposite sides of the section, and a bearing in said bracket at thejuxtaposition of said arms and extension; means securing the end membersin spaced relation and file supporting means extending between said endmembers and mounted in said bearings thereof.

LE ROI E. HUTCHINGS.

